Colorado men’s basketball and “competitive advantage” rarely get mentioned in the same breath once a Big 12 Conference schedule begins. This season, however, could be the Buffaloes’ time to shine.
While many Big 12 teams wonder if their fuzzy-cheeked youngsters can learn to stay out of one another’s way, CU’s veteran squad knows where to go, what to do and how to find the visitor’s locker room.
If experience counts for anything, it should serve Colorado well. Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton and others around the league say they believe it will. With eight scholarship seniors, CU (10-1) easily ranks as the most experienced team in the conference.
“I’ll be surprised if Colorado doesn’t finish in the top half (of the Big 12 standings), and maybe in the top three or four,” Sutton said. “They are going to win a lot of games.”
The Buffs have finished in the upper division of the Big 12 only three times: second place in 1996-97, a tie for fifth in 2002-03 and fourth place in 2003-04. But CU could make some noise this season. An upper-division finish in the Big 12 could land CU its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2003.
“You’d better not sleep on Colorado,” Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson cautioned.
The start to the Big 12 schedule didn’t do the Buffaloes any favors, but CU coaches and players figure the team can handle it. The Buffs open Saturday at 15th-ranked Texas (11-2), and then host Kansas (8-4) in Boulder on Wednesday night. CU’s first five conference games also include trips to Missouri (7-4) and Oklahoma State (10-4).
“Hopefully an experienced team won’t get rattled as easily on the road,” CU coach Ricardo Patton said.
“We know, with Texas football (winning the national championship Wednesday), there will be a great deal of excitement in Austin. I’m sure the excitement will carry over to their basketball team. You just have to play through that emotion.”
Colorado’s lineup includes three seniors (guard Jayson Obazuaye and forwards Chris Copeland and Andy Osborn), junior guard Marcus Hall and sophomore guard Richard Roby, the team’s top scorer (15.9). Another senior, 6-9 center Julius Ashby, could regain his starting job. Ashby sat out the first eight games under academic suspension and still is rounding into form.
Out of necessity, other Big 12 coaches must force-feed new players. Kansas is giving extensive minutes to four freshmen. Iowa State uses three freshman big men. No doubt reluctantly, Texas Tech coach Bob Knight starts two freshmen. Kansas State has three junior college transfers in its lineup.
Four of Texas A&M’s top eight scorers are newcomers.
At Oklahoma State, Sutton recently employed three freshmen and a sophomore in the starting lineup for what he believes to be the first time in his 36 seasons as a college head coach. Five of the Cowboys’ top eight players are newcomers, a volatile mix that can test Sutton’s patience.
“Young players blow hot and cold,” he said. “In practice, I have to leave the gym every once in a while and let (assistant coaches) take over. I have to bite my tongue.”
Kansas coach Bill Self had to back off making as many in-game adjustments as he normally does. His young squad wasn’t ready for it.
Uncharacteristically, Kansas already has lost four games and is unranked.
“We’ve probably tweaked too much,” Self said. “We got them to where they were thinking instead of reacting.”
Colorado’s experience and depth, on the other hand, enables Patton to put in more plays and run different sets. But the biggest advantage experience brings may be the way players handle adversity.
“Your team is going to make mistakes out there,” CU’s Hall said. “But when you grow up, you learn how to play through mistakes.”
Pressure is magnified in conference play. CU players say they are ready.
“Last year I think we were a little bit timid when we had a big game,” Osborn said. “This year, I think everybody on the team enjoys that pressure.”
For Patton, the luxury of an experienced roster couldn’t have come at a better time. Patton hopes this season will impress new CU athletic director Mike Bohn enough to get his contract extended. Patton’s contract expires after next season.
Along with compliments from his coaching colleagues, Patton understands expectations for this season are higher.
“Sometimes you wish you could sneak up on teams,” Patton said. “But I don’t think that will be the case.”
Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-820-5456 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
Big 12 men
A quick look at the Big 12 men’s teams going into conference play. Teams are listed in order of CollegeRPI.com computer power ranking.
IOWA STATE 10-3 (27 in RPI)
Player to watch: Sophomore forward Rahshon Clark (14.6 points) has provided scoring balance to a lineup led by guards Curtis Stinson (18.8) and Will Blalock (13.5).
Best win: 72-60 at home vs. Iowa
Worst loss: 89-72 at home vs. Iona
Key to success: At least one of the Cyclones’ new big men – 6-foot-11 Jiri Hubalek, 6-10 Shawn Taggart or 6-10 Ross Marsden – must become a stronger defensive presence inside.
KANSAS STATE 9-2 (32)
Player to watch: Junior forward Cartier Martin (19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds).
Best win: 71-67 at home vs. Colorado State
Worst loss: 75-70 (overtime) at Northern Illinois
Key to success: Improving their 3-point shooting. Wildcats are making only 4.1 3-pointers per game.
TEXAS 11-2 (46)
Player to watch: Junior forward P.J. Tucker, 6-5, 225 pounds, who poses a difficult matchup in the frontcourt. He had 24 points and 13 rebounds in an upset of fourth-ranked Memphis.
Best win: 69-58 at Memphis
Worst loss: 95-78 at home vs. Tennessee
Key to success: The two scores listed above show this team’s inconsistency.
COLORADO 10-1 (53)
Player to watch: Senior center Julius Ashby (6-9), who missed the first eight games due to academic ineligibility. CU needs him at full speed.
Best win: 78-60 at Pennsylvania
Worst loss: 83-82 at Colorado State
Key to success: CU’s Achilles’ heel the past several years has been free-throw shooting. The Buffaloes are tied for eighth (.641) in the Big 12.
OKLAHOMA 9-2 (66)
Player to watch: Junior college transfer Michael Neal, 6-3, who is averaging 10.7 points.
Best win: 68-56 at home vs. Alabama
Worst loss: 92-68 vs. West Virginia in Oklahoma City
Key to success: Frontcourt strongmen Taj Gray (15.8, 8.0) and Kevin Bookout (13.1, 7.2) are a load, but the Sooners haven’t shot well from outside. They are last (.306) in 3-point accuracy in the Big 12.
OKLAHOMA STATE 10-4 (89)
Player to watch: 6-7 forward Mario Boggan, a junior college transfer who began his career at Florida, leads the Cowboys in scoring (14.1) and is second in rebounding (5.1).
Best win: 89-73 vs. Tennessee in Oklahoma City
Worst loss: 68-64 at home vs. Northwestern (La.) State
Key to success: Sophomore guard JamesOn Curry (13.6) has pressed in his new role as a leader. He must carry a bigger scoring load.
TEXAS A&M 10-1 (98)
Player to watch: Antanas Kavaliauskas, a 6-10 Lithuanian and junior college transfer, is starting to catch on. He scored 42 points during a recent four-game stretch.
Best win: 72-67 at home vs. Auburn
Worst loss: 63-56 at Pacific
Key to success: In their 11th game, Aggies finally ventured away from home and were sunk by Pacific. Will they be prepared for Big 12 battles?
KANSAS 8-4 (140)
Player to watch: Among the touted newcomers, Brandon Rush has made the biggest impact. The 6-6 freshman guard averages a team-best 11.8 points and is tied for third in rebounding (4.7).
Best win: 69-56 vs. California in Kansas City, Mo.
Worst loss: 72-70 at home vs. Nevada
Key to success: When was the last time a Kansas team ranked seventh among Big 12 teams in turnover margin?
MISSOURI 7-4 (142)
Player to watch: A 6-5 junior guard, Thomas Gardner has almost doubled his point production, from 10.4 per game as a sophomore to a Big 12-leading 19.9 this season.
Best win: 81-72 at home vs. Northwestern (La.) State
Worst loss: 80-77 at home vs. Sam Houston State
Key to success: Tigers can’t seem to take care of the basketball. They rank 11th in the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio, ahead only of Baylor, which hasn’t played a game.
NEBRASKA 10-3 (170)
Player to watch: A reserve role player in his first three seasons, senior forward Wes Wilkinson has blossomed into a 13.8-point scorer.
Best win: 84-74 at home vs. Marquette
Worst loss: 70-44 at Creighton
Key to success: This is an athletic team that needs to improve its shooting, a league-worst 43.1 percent.
TEXAS TECH 8-6 (183)
Player to watch: Junior guard Jarrius Jackson (18.6) has become one of the league’s top scorers.
Best win: 61-60 at home over Texas-El Paso
Worst loss: 68-53 at home to Louisiana Tech
Key to success: Finding a leader. No one has replaced the leadership provided a season ago by Ronald Ross.
BAYLOR 0-0 (334)
Player to watch: Aaron Bruce, a 6-3 sharpshooter from Australia, led the nation’s freshmen in scoring (18.2) last season.
Best win: N/A
Worst loss: N/A
Key to success: With NCAA sanctions preventing the Bears from playing a nonconference schedule, how could anybody know? Baylor will depend on several newcomers, including 7-foot Mamadou Diene, from Senegal.
– Tom Kensler
